Why are They so Powerful

Invisibly, Clark became the core of the surviving group. After a busy period, he arrived at the makeshift medical station.

Michael had been treated briefly; his broken leg was bandaged, and he had regained consciousness.

"I never thought you could come back, but I would have preferred you not to." Michael chuckled, his expression changing dramatically from before.

"Now, can you tell me what really happened?" Although Clark had heard bits and pieces, he hoped to get the most complete information from Michael.

"Not long after you left, we were ambushed by the Black Claws. Those guys are terrifying, highly skilled in combat, and incredibly ruthless. They didn't spare any lives; they were just too powerful.

 We resisted, but we couldn't win; they were too strong!" Michael's gaze became distant, as if reluctant to recall the battle, "I'm sorry, your friends, including Captain Lu, were captured by them. Even the women from the fortress were taken."

"What kind of organization is Black Claws, and why are they so powerful?" Clark inquired.

"I don't know. I only know their name, but I don't have information about them. It's not something I, at my level, would be aware of. Perhaps Charles knows more, but unfortunately, he's not here."

"No, I brought him back!" Clark smiled. Keeping Charles with him had proven to be the right decision.

"Then you should be able to gather more intelligence!" Michael nodded, looking somewhat relieved.

"How did they arrive? Did they use the underwater tunnel as well?"

"No, they came from there!" Michael pointed upwards towards a conspicuous black hole above the fortress, a hole that hadn't existed before, catching Clark's attention only now.

"Could they have the ability to burrow underground?" Clark noticed the anomaly when he saw the black hole.

Michael nodded; he seemed overly fatigued, and speaking was becoming difficult.

Leaving Michael, Clark went directly to where Charles was being held.

Clark has subtly become the core of the survivors. After a busy period, he arrived at the makeshift medical station.

Michael had been treated briefly; his broken leg was bandaged, and he had regained consciousness.

"I never thought you could come back, but, I would have preferred you not to." Michael chuckled, his expression changing dramatically from before.

"Now, can you tell me what really happened?" Although Clark had heard bits and pieces, he hoped to get the most complete information from Michael.

"Not long after you left, we were ambushed by the Black Claws. Those guys are terrifying, highly skilled in combat, and incredibly ruthless. They didn't spare any lives; they were just too powerful. 

We resisted, but we couldn't win; they were too strong!" Michael's gaze became distant, as if reluctant to recall the battle, "I'm sorry, your friends, including Captain Lu, were captured by them. Even the women from the fortress were taken."

"What kind of organization is Black Claws, and why are they so powerful?" Clark inquired.

"I don't know. I only know their name, but I don't have information about them. It's not something I, at my level, would be aware of. Perhaps Charles knows more, but unfortunately, he's not here."

"No, I brought him back!" Clark smiled. Keeping Charles with him had proven to be the right decision.

"Then you should be able to gather more intelligence!" Michael nodded, looking somewhat relieved.

"How did they arrive? Did they use the underwater tunnel as well?"

"No, they came from there!" Michael pointed upwards towards a conspicuous black hole above the fortress, a hole that hadn't existed before, catching Clark's attention only now.

"Could they have the ability to burrow underground?" Clark noticed the anomaly when he saw the black hole.

Michael nodded; he seemed overly fatigued, and speaking was becoming difficult.

Leaving Michael, Clark went directly to where Charles was being held.

Charles was awake by now, but he seemed a bit frantic, shouting and yelling.

"Do you all want to die? How dare you tie me up! I'm the commander here; I have the final say. Release me quickly!"

"You've all been deceived by that Clark! Only I can protect you; only I can represent the Alliance!"

"You damn fools! You're all as good as dead. Release me now!"

Charles kept screaming, but nobody paid him any attention.

Creak!

The door was opened, and Clark walked in.

Seeing Charles, he didn't say a word and kicked him directly!

Charles was flipped over on the ground.

He had been cursing a moment ago, but upon seeing Clark and receiving a practical lesson, Charles immediately behaved, shrinking back, afraid of another beating.

"I'll ask, and you'll answer. Can you do that?" Clark suppressed the anger in his heart. If Charles didn't know crucial information, he would have loved to give him a good beating.

"You want to know about the Black Claws, right?" Charles, with a hint of cunning in his eyes, said triumphantly, "I know everything about them. I can tell you, but you have to let me go and return what belongs to me!"

Clark chuckled. At a time like this, this guy was still trying to be clever.

With several screams resembling pig squeals, Charles quickly surrendered.

"I'll talk, I'll talk! Just don't hit me again!"

"What's the deal with the Black Claws? Why did they come here at this time and take away all the young women?" Clark asked loudly.

"The Black Claws, simply put, are a human trafficking organization, specializing in trafficking people." Charles shivered, terrified of another beating.

"This city only has this underground fortress, right? Where are they selling people to?" Clark continued questioning.

"Here, yes, but in other cities or regions, there are other fortresses or city-states!" Charles hastily explained, "After the Great Catastrophe, many humans survived and formed underground or above-ground fortresses or city-states. However, due to geographical isolation, the population situations in different places vary. 

Some places lack women for reproduction, some lack male labor force. That's where the Black Claws, this kind of human trafficking organization, comes in. They roam between different city-states, engaging in trafficking and trade. So, about where your friends have been sold, I don't know. Only they know that!"

Charles, fearing a beating, covered his head.